Winthrop Theater

I just was able to peruse the movie listings appearing in the photo section that were posted by Texas2step last year. They are very interesting. These three weekly listings appeared during the mid to late 50’s, when the theater was referred to as the “New Winthrop”. (Whether this reflected a change of ownership, presentation policy or just a new way of branding I do not know.)

One interesting aspect of the listings was the fact that the Winnie at least occasionally featured showings of older movies, such as “Yankee Doodle Dandy”, “White Heat” and “They Died With Their Boots On”. I do not believe that it was the practice of “nabe” movie houses to do this, at least during the 1950’s; but this appeared to be the case here. (I have absolutely no memory of this policy, but then I was only six or seven years old!) Perhaps the management was attempting to provide some alternate programming to what was then appearing on TV – heavily cut and commercial broken versions of old movies. For example, Million Dollar Movies was only programmed to last 90 minutes, which required very heavy cutting to such classics as Gunga Din. (When I first viewed a complete version of that film, I was shocked that so much had been cut out.) By providing complete and uninterrupted versions of these oldies, perhaps the Winnie management was attempting to draw in a new crowd.

I was also surprised to learn that the Winnie was still holding “dish nights” at that time. The only local house that I remember doing this was the American (Chopin). But I guess the practice lasted longer here as well.

Thanks again for this valuable information.

Here’s a 1940’s image of the Winthrop:

http://nycma.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/NYCMA~7~7~848335~745297?sort=borough%2Cblock%2Clot%2Czip_code

Hi John- I can probably help with a picture of the Winnie. We are embarking on a Greenpoint book project and can welcome your local experience with the theatres and the area. Drop me a line Rick

A picture recently posted on the Eagle Theatre’s (in Bushwick) page features a sign saying “closed for the summer”. A commentator then plausibly speculated that the Eagle was closed because it lacked air conditioning. Whether this may have been true for the Eagle, the Winnie was also not air conditioned but, instead, stayed open during the summers with the help of two huge – and very loud – fans. They were positioned to the immediate left and right of the screen. While they probably did little more than circulate hot air and frequently drowned out the dialogue, they at least allowed the show to go on. At the prices charged by this “nabe' none of us complained.

I really hope someone will find sn old picture of the Winnie and post it here.

Well another year has passed as I now start my sixth season as a member of this site.

I am still hoping that someone will come up with a picture of this old movie house. Perhaps this will occur this year – and hopefully more people will add comments to this page – and the other pages of the old north Brooklyn movie theaters in 2013. I noted a sharp decline of such comments in 2012, but perhaps this will change.

Yes, the same was true for Ridgewood and Bushwick too. There were very few corner intersections that didn’t have at least one bar on the corner….

John…….Just one more mention of a Greenpoint bar and I won’t stray from the movie house thread anymore.

Do you remember a bar on the corner of Diamond and Driggs(it’s now a closed down pizza place)? Thirty six years ago on my wedding day my bestman and myself got to St.Stans early and stopped in this bar for a bracer to get through the events.The bartender knew we weren’t from the neighborhood and asked what we were doing in the neighborhood …in suits no less.After the ceremony we met him at the door of the church wanting to kiss the bride.

Well, this marks the third anniversary of the date when I first stumbled over this wonderful site and posted my first comment. It’s been a lot of fun over these last three years.

In 2011, I hope someone will find and post a picture of this modest but greatly missed theater.

John……..On an unrelated note to the Winthrop but has to do with movies.Going one block away on the corner of Nassau and Russel(I believe it’s Russell)There is one of the few bars left in Greenpoint that Pop is always telling us they do a lot of filming in.It has that old bar look and Pop tells of attending parties in the rear of the bar.

Bway, the Winthrop was about as tall – the equivalent of two stories – as the current supermarket. This is why the assertion that the Russell St. wall is a relic of the old theater is credible.

As I remember it, the Winthrop’s entrance – and its terrific awning – only occupied the center of what is now the supermarket. The left and right flanks were occupied by other businesses on both two floors. (Thanks to PhilJR for refreshing my memory on this point.) The theater’s lobby was a modest affair that lead directly into the auditorium. Upon leaving the lobby, you looked directly at the screen. The nearly 600 seats were located on one level, with no balcony. (While I may be wrong on this point, I do not believe that the Winnie was ever air conditioned. I distinctively remember viewing movies on hot afternoons that were only cooled – and very well muted – by two large fans.)

A very popular bar – I believe it was named Dekarski’s – was situated on the other side of Russell St. During the 1950’s, many very loud parties were held there. (Since I lived on the same block, I can very well attest to this fact.) Unless the Winnie was sound-proofed – which I am sure it was not – many movie goers certainly heard the revelry at Dekarski’s while they were attempting to enjoy the film. (The loudest moments, however, mostly occurred after the movie house had closed for the evening.)

A photographer’s shop was situated across the street from Dekarski’s. In 1958 or so, I remember having my First Holy Communion photographs taken here. At that time, the Winnie was still a going concern.

Located far from Greenpoint’s commercial center, the Winnie typifies the very localized nature of movie houses during cinema’s golden age. While it did last nearly a decade longer than the similarly situated Midway – which was located in a poorer section of Greenpoint – it is not surprising that the Winnie could not survive too long into the TV era. Anyhow, those of us who remember it, really miss it.

Bway, thanks so much for posting this picture.

The picture was taken from the southwest corner of Driggs Ave. and Russell St. The Winnie was situated on the southeast corner – on the other side of Russell St. – and directly faced the park.

Although the theater opened about 15 years after the date of the picture, the park’s appearance had probably not radically changed during the interim. In the 1920’s or 30’s, however, the park’s soil was enriched and a large number of London Plane trees were planted here. They took root and soon dominated the landscape – as they do to this day. This is why many of us who grew up in the 50’s referred to Winthrop Park as “the Tree Park”. (Fortunately, London Planes were just about the only hard wood trees that the Chinese long horned beetles were not attracted to.) Thus, when I remember the Winnie, it was a theater that directly faced a forest of very large trees.

While it is possible that the Russell St. wall once also supported the old theater, it would be the only remaining relic, since the lot was totally reconstructed as part of the A&P supermarket construction.

John, here is the photo of Winthrob park you asked to have posted here… The theater named for the park apparently….
Perhaps soon a real photo will turn up of the theater itself…
Where is the theater in relation to this photo?

View link

Wonderful comments Phil. I’m glad that I am not the only person to remember the old Winnie. I must add, however, that I totally forgot that a liquer store and a Democratic Club once also occupied a portion of this site. Given the fact that the Winnie’s entrance – with the great awning – only occupied a rather small portion of the building’s front, the presence of other stores there makes a lot of sence. (It would be great if someone could post a vintage picture on this page.)

I did not know that both the Winnie and the American were owned by the same person. While he did get out of the movie business, he did hold on to the American for a few additional years before giving up on that venture as well. Thanks for the info.

The only unusual movie that I remember playing at the Winnie was old Cecil B. DeMille silent version of King of Kings that ran during several Holy Weeks in the late 1950’s. If the owner tried to show first run films here, it must have been a very brief attempt. I just can’t see how such a venture could have competed with the Meserole and the Greenpoint – and, of course – it could not.

One final memory about the Russel St. wall. Do you remember the fire escape that once existed here and, in particular, the ladder that came down to roughly the height of a basketball rim. I remember that a lot of kids would play “basketball” games with the final ladder step serving as basket.

Great to make your acquaintance, Phil.